Acromioclavicular (“AC”) joint dislocations are characterized by severe upward displacement of the lateral end of the clavicle relative to the acromium of the scapula. Surgery is recommended to reduce and internally fix the displacement, which could otherwise lead to a painful deformity and loss of function.
An exemplary method and apparatus for repairing AC joint dislocations is detailed, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0125297, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herewith. The apparatus described therein comprises two buttons, or a button and a washer, that are joined by at least one strand of flexible material (for example, suture or tape, such as FiberTape®). Alternatively, in lieu of the two buttons, the apparatus may comprise a button/interference screw combination. A graft may be optionally attached to the apparatus for further insertion and positioning of the graft through the coracoid and the clavicle.
Current designs for AC repairs typically employ either a graft or strands of tape such as FiberTape®, and in some cases both graft and tape. Buttons on both ends, or a combination of a button and an interference fixation device (for example, an interference screw), are used to secure the graft to the coracoid and the clavicle.